Self upgrades
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,960
Likes: 1,991
From: CA
I have done almost all of the work on my bikes, and there is very little I won't try. The last time I decided to let the dealer work on my bike (replacing the belt and swingarm) they screwed it up, and I ended up redoing the job myself.
I'll never let them touch my bike again.
I'll never let them touch my bike again.
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 1,698
Likes: 132
From: x
I can do most of it but I just hate turning wrenches, always have. My older brother and I used to have a trade labor deal with each other, he's the mechanic, I'm the carpenter, worked out real well. Then the creep up and died on me bless his soul, I sure do miss him. Now I'll do the simple simon stuff and the indie gets to do the rest, it's only money. And the less I seem to care about it (money),the more I seem to acquire.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,923
Likes: 266
From: Deep in the heart of New Jersey
Years back I came to the realization that It wasn't cost effective to pay anyone $100 an hour to do something I could do myself. When my Evo motor bit the dust, I had the dealer do the reman thing.When it was all said and done it cost almost $4000. At the time I could have went for an aftermarket motor with more HP and TQ for less $$$. What I got was a bone stock motor, that I would have to spend alot more for cam work or whatever I wanted done. Remember this was a 10 yr old bike at the time. So how much good money are you going to throw after bad ?. The way I look at it if you say you "don't have the time" to work on your bike yourself, when will you have time to ride it?.,,
With the exception of having a broken clutch cable in Sturgis last year, nobody other than me has touched my bike since I've owned it. I've redone the top end of the motor, redone the fork, built a new front wheel, changed the gearing, repainted all the tins (I did the sanding/prepwork/masking, one of my co-workers sprayed the paint, he volunteered and he's been doing it for 30 years, couldn't turn that down). To me its a combination of being to cheap and stubborn to pay someone to do something for me, and the pride in doing something myself.
I have to admit, all of this is much easier in the days of YouTube and Google, not to mention this forum.
I have to admit, all of this is much easier in the days of YouTube and Google, not to mention this forum.
Last edited by Reindeer; Apr 9, 2016 at 12:23 PM.
Tourer
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 372
Likes: 26
From: Oklahoma
I'm a mechanic by trade, so it pains me to think of someone else working on my bike. I'd rather invest in the specialty tool that I need and dive in. So far I've done cams, exhaust, stereo, wheels, handlebars, etc. Pretty much everything. My advice is buy a service manual and get started, if you think the project is outside of your capability, ask for help.
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